The recent study released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Health Statistics focused on youth behavior between 2011 and 2014 and shows that adolescents in the US get a whopping 20 percent of their total daily energy intake from added sugars. Half of that sugar comes from sugar-sweetened beverages like sodas, sports drinks, and energy drinks.

Currently, the American Heart Association recommends that children should consume only about 6 teaspoons (about 100 calories) of added sugar a day and should limit their intake of sugary drinks to 8 ounces weekly. That’s certainly a far cry from what’s happening, so, is there hope?

To help raise awareness, a Maryland-based public health nonprofit started bringing fact-based marketing to youth and their parents. “Howard County Unsweetened” is a youth-focused, anti-sugar project, similar to the "truth" campaign against the tobacco industry. Their three-year effort radically altered consumer behavior and sugary drink sales plummeted in their county. They are now taking their message across the county.

Founder Brian Frank says, “We are winning the war on sugar, but it hasn’t been easy and it’s not over. We have served endurance athletes for the last thirty years and we are here to help the next generation make healthy choices as well.” We’ll drink to that!

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Hammer Nutrition

Founded in 1987 by Brian Frank, Hammer Nutrition provides superlative products, proprietary knowledge, and 5-star service to health conscious athletes all over the world.